The above-identified application discloses a device for drawing a cable or the like tightly around an article and for placing the cable under tension prior to the overlapped end sections of the cable being fastened together to maintain the tension. More specifically, the device includes two heads each having a throat into which the end sections of the cable are placed. One end section of the cable is adapted to be clamped by a gripping element carried by one of the heads while the other end section of the cable is adapted to be clamped by a gripping element carried by the other head. When the two heads are spread apart by linear actuators, the gripping elements pull the cable end sections in opposite directions and place the cable in tension. The device is preferably but not necessarily capable of being actuated through successive hitch strokes if more than one stroke is needed to impart the necessary tension to the cable.